$2.5 million sought as part of $3.2 million building conversion

During Monday night's Common Council meeting, aldermen approved a State Environmental Quality Review and a Restore New York application for the Federation building.

At a public hearing held prior to the Common Council meeting, Hornell Mayor Shawn Hogan said John Lyng, the owner of the building on Broadway downtown, has been working for some time to find an appropriate use for the building.

“It is what we call a centerpiece of downtown, and it deserves to have something positive done with it,” he said.

Hogan said the building is laid out perfectly for some type of housing development, and would hold 18 one or two bedroom market rate apartments. He said people in the area need market rate apartments, as most quality apartments are already taken. Hogan also noted there is abundant public parking space behind the building, and the building is close to medical centers, shopping and other downtown attractions.

Hogan said City Planner Heather Reynolds-Kaszynski is working to put together the application, which is due Friday. Restore New York chooses who gets the grants at the end of December. Reynolds-Kaszynski said if the city receives a grant, it would put the project out for bid in January.

“One of our strengths is we have a strong master downtown plan,” Hogan said. “I think a lot of communities don't have the prior planning we have involved in this.”

The project is estimated to cost about $3.2 million. Restore New York will give $2.5 million grants to communities with less than 40,000 people. Lyng must pay 10 percent of the cost, or the remainder of the balance, which comes to about $700,000.

Hogan said although the project is cooperative between Lyng and the city, Lyng will continue to own the building.

Hogan said the city also looked at applying for a grant for the former Tuttle and Rockwell building. However, he said, that building could not be used for housing because there isn't enough natural light or ventilation.

Hogan said the Federation building was initially constructed to house St. Ann High School. The school stopped using the building in the 1940s, and since then the building has been used for a clothing store and office space.

Hogan said a new code compliant elevator would be put in place and there would be total utility replacement.

“It's like walking into a time warp in some of those situations,” he said.

Hogan said Lyng has made improvements to the first floor of the building, and said the building is very sturdy.

“That building isn't going to fall down for the next 200 or 300 years,” he said.

Hogan noted there is an auditorium that encases parts of the second and third floors, which could be a concern. He said one possibility is to incorporate the auditorium into the building plan as some sort of common meeting space.

Hogan said there were a significant number of application last year, and this year the cities of Elmira and Corning are also vying for funds.

“It is an exciting project,” he said. “I'd really love to see the building used in that fashion.”